Former offensive lineman Lomas Brown became an Internet punching bag back in December, when he gleefully copped to intentionally allowing former Detroit Lions teammate Scott Mitchell to get sacked and injured during a game in 1994.

Brown quickly regretted making the comments, while Mitchell expressed disappointment that he could be betrayed on the field by someone he'd invited into his home.

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In an interview with DetroitLions.com, Brown said listening to his initial comments gives him a queasy feeling.

"That was the most hurtful part, how I said it," Brown said. "You can hear the excitement in my voice. It was just wrong. I just really made myself sick when I heard myself."

Brown said he and Mitchell spoke on the phone and ended the conversation as friends. He credited Mitchell for his forgiving nature.

"It was foolish," Brown said. "If that would have been me getting a phone call from me after what I said, I wouldn't have reacted the way Scott reacted. I would have been mad. I wouldn't have been laughing on the phone with me.

"Scott wasn't like that."

Brown made a mistake, and he deserves credit for owning up to it. He and Mitchell have moved on, and now, so too will we.